Chuno Phuti

Chuño is a potato-derived tuber, is considered one of the main foods in the Bolivian diet. This tuber is very used in the preparation of the  traditional highland dishes, in South America.

El chuño, It is also called chuno. A flour is made from chuño (chuño flour), which is used in preparations of traditional Bolivian dishes.

The chuño constitutes a millennial food, typical of the Andean region, a high altitude area of ​​South America. This food is especially associated with the countries  Bolivia and Peru.

The birth, origin of Chuño is related to the conservation and storage of the potato, practice carried out by the indigenous peoples, ancient inhabitants of the Andes.

  Chuño Phuti Recipe

Plate: Major. Also used as a companion to different Bolivian dishes.

Cooking: La Paz, Bolivia.

Preparation time: 2 hours.

Servings: 6

Author: Recipes from Bolivia

Ingredients:

• ½ kilo of dry chuño.
• 2 teaspoons of salt to cook the chuño
• 1/cup of oil.
• ½ cup white onion, finely chopped.
• ¼ cup tomato, peeled and finely chopped.
• 1 shredded fresh cheese.
• 3 whole eggs.
• 1 teaspoon of salt.

if you want to eat a Bolivian dish, nutritious and simple to prepare; he Chuno Phuti is the ideal for you. We will show you its preparation and the ingredients you need to make it. Prepare it and enjoy with your friends/family!

Ingredients to make Chuño Phuti

If you wish to making Chuño Phuti, you must have the following ingredients: 250 grams of dry chuño, 10 grams of salt, 10 grams of oil, 75 grams of onion, 75 grams of tomato, shredded cheese and 3 whole eggs.

Preparation of Chuño Phuti in 3 simple steps – DO IT NOW!

After having the Chuño Phuti ingredients, you just have to prepare it by following the simple steps that we will give you below. You have to keep in mind that Chuño is left to soak in lukewarm water one day before its preparation.

STEP 1 – PEEL, Chop, SOAK

Since you have already soaked the chuño for 24 hours, you simply have to peel it and remove all the skin that it has. Chop it into 4 parts and rinse it until the bitter taste that characterizes it disappears completely..

STEP 2 – PROCESS

Step 2 involves the entire Chuño Phuti process, when the bitter taste disappears, it is cooked with plenty of water and two teaspoons of salt. Meanwhile, you can choose to place a pan with the oil, over moderate heat. When it is already hot, add the onion and fry it until golden. Subsequently, add the tomato and mix for a few minutes to finally add the 3 eggs and continue mixing.

STEP 3 – CHUÑO PHUTI

After getting a homogeneous mixture, you must add the chuño (must be cooked and drained) and let it cook for 5 minutes. After the time has elapsed, add the cheese, mix well and cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts well into the mixture.

Finally, after performing these steps, you will have your delicious Chuño Phuti recipe completely ready to taste with your friends and family.

 

Nutritional value of the chuño dish

A portion equivalent to 100 grams of chuño contains:

Calories: 315 Kcal.

Carbohydrates: 76,5 grams.

Fats: 0,15 milligrams.

Proteins: 2,10 grams.

Fiber: 2,10 grams

Potassium: 10 milligrams

Iron: 3,30 milligrams

Football: 92 milligrams.

Origin of Chuño

The chuño originated in the Andes, the inhabitants of this area used procedures to dehydrate and preserve the potato.

The chuño comes from the dehydration of the potato.

When subjected to this procedure, approximately 80% of the weight of a potato is removed.

Chuño is a food that dates back thousands of years, as old as the potato, it has indigenous roots. This bitter potato that originates from the potato, once it goes through a process of freezing and then it is sunny, constitutes a ancestral food among the inhabitants of the Bolivian and Peruvian highlands.

How to prepare chuño or chuno?

Chuño It is named by some researchers as “the mummified potato”. This food achieved since ancient times, through processes that include freezing and sunny, is an essential ingredient in Bolivian gastronomy, is also used in Peru, Argentina, Chile and Ecuador.

This ingredient, which is used in the preparation of very traditional dishes such as: chuño lentils, chuño mazamorra, chuño scrambled eggs with egg, chuño pasi, among others, requires rigorous preparation.

How to make chuño?

1. The process through which dehydrate the tubers consists of subjecting them alternately to the freezing and desolation.
2. Every time the tuber is subjected to these processes, it loses water. After several alternations of these processes, pressing on foot ends this process.
3. This procedure determines that the production of chuño is related to the seasons and is exposed to weather conditions that may allow strong frosts. In the months of june and june there are intense frosts.
4. Once the tubers are harvested, sort by size.
5. It proceeds to spread them on the ground, it must be flat, they are covered with dry grass, straw and they are left for approximately three nights so that the frost freezes them.
6. This process requires 20 days to be fully realized. It is important to note that it is a community effort. After being frozen, they are removed from the place where they received the frost and se leave in the sun. The next step is step on them with the intention of removing any water that may remain in the tubers. After this step is required freeze again.

Varieties of chuños

Once the potato has been treated with the freezing and sunbathing processes, it becomes chuño or tunta, giving two variations of this food that is derived from the potato. There are two variations of the chuño:

1. white chuno: the tunta, this is achieved by placing the tubers in river or lagoon water. This procedure of placing them in water in permeable sacks is done after freezing and treading. At the moment of the sunny, they are placed in the water, this allows to maintain the white color. Generally, potatoes are light in color and it is contact with the sun that makes them turn black.

Finally, it is submitted for approximately 15 days to the elimination of water, peeling and drying in the sun. This procedure produces the tunta, which is known as chuño blanco in Peru and Bolivia.

1. black chuño: It is achieved directly once the freezing, sunbathing, treading and refreezing processes have been completed. The substances in the tuber, once they come into contact with the air, undergo oxidation, which originates the characteristic color of this chuño, this color can be coppery to dark black.

Benefits of chuño

1. Prevents anemia due to its high iron and calcium content.
2. It is rich in starch, helps in stomach protection, which prevents diseases such as gastritis and stomach ulcers.
3. It is an important power source.
4. It helps to reduce sugarin people with type 2 diabetes.
5. Strengthens teeth and bones.
6. act in the cholesterol prevention.
7. Is rich in Antioxidants, a feature that allows you to prevent cardiovascular diseases.